Young women between 18 and 30 years of age are generally thought to be in good health. However, research from the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows that young women are becoming more disposed to various lifestyle diseases and illnesses.
Why is this happening?
It could be because many young women have fallen for the myths that they are able to eat as they please, consume as much alcohol as they’d like, and “work and play” hard without any health consequences.
Fortunately, it’s not hard to see where we are going wrong. Here are three main lifestyle issues young women have the ability to improve.
Eating habits
The Medical Research Council (MRC) completed a detailed study and found that in South Africa, the source of most chronic diseases boils down to eating habits – eating too much overall and consuming unhealthy and harmful foods and substances.
The truth is that people consider healthy food to be difficult to source in hurry. With busy schedules, lectures and meetings, many young women grab something quick, easy and full of fat, salt and sugar, or simply skip meals and guzzle down one large meal at the end of a long day. While this may fit into a crazy calendar, it isn’t doing your body any good.
Instead, spend a few hours on a Sunday planning your meals for the week. And, when you do need to grab a snack, try raw nuts, fresh fruit or plain yoghurt they are the easiest, quickest fast-foods in the world!
Medication
In a time when we have medication at our fingertips, many of us habitually take pills. We can become reliant on a daily painkiller for a headache that hasn’t even happened yet.
When it comes to medication, it is vital to understand that our bodies are only able to take so much. Rather than popping a pill, listen to your body. You may find that a headache is due to dehydration, lack of sleep, or the need for spectacles. You could try drinking some water, having a nap or getting your eyes tested instead.
Stress
Known for multitasking, as women, we are often stretched to our limits trying to complete several tasks simultaneously. This leads to stress.
Whether it’s a large workload or a busy social calendar, it can all start to feel like too much.
While everyone has different stress factors to consider, we all need to make time to rest. Make sure you get enough sleep at night and schedule enough time to do something relaxing that you love – whether it’s going for a walk or watching a movie. When you need some time out, don’t feel bad about turning down an invitation or taking a lunch break.
Author - Khinali Bagwandeen
Sources: youngwomenshealth.org, everydayhealth.com, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, jamanetwork.com and All4Women